


The Wall of Flames

by Sayian_Princess_Vegenta



Series: Urzai Week 2020 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fire Nation Royal Family, Urzai, Urzai Week, Urzai Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27021430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sayian_Princess_Vegenta/pseuds/Sayian_Princess_Vegenta
Summary: The Wall of Flames in the Firelord's Throne room always scared Ursa, but not for the reason you think. #Urzai Week 2020 "Flames"
Relationships: Azulon/Ilah (Avatar), Ozai/Ursa (Avatar), Urzai - Relationship
Series: Urzai Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979776
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	The Wall of Flames

There were few things that Ursa feared most in the world. One of them was the wall of fire that surrounded the Firelord. No she wasn’t afraid of the fire, or even the man himself. What she feared was how The Firelord treated her Husband and how the flames kept growing and burning every time he was angered. She had seen too many times Ozai’s blood spilt on the floor, heard too much of his screams and felt his pain over and over. She was unable to do anything, but watch helplessly from the sidelines. Firelord Azulon wasn’t known for his kindness or patience, He wasn’t even known for being truly sadistic, but he always seemed to enjoy torturing his second son. Most of the time without reason. The wall of flames always reminded her of how powerless she was to do anything against it. How she couldn’t protect that man she loved. 

It was at these times that she hated Iroh. Whenever the royal family was called to meet with the Firelord, he was always graced with respect and dignity. His suggestions unquestioned, his actions encouraged. However everytime Ozai had something to add he was always silenced, degraded and punished, the roar of the flames grew louder and reached temperatures so hot she couldn’t breathe sometimes. Yet if Iroh repeated the same statements sometimes right behind Ozai. It would be done before the end of the day. She knew what Iroh tried to do. He tried to show his father that Ozai’s ideas were good, sometimes even brillant. Still Whenever Ozai was the one beaten and bruised she sometimes wished it was Iroh in his place.

She would never mention it to him. Everytime they were dismissed from the throne room she had the urge to comfort her troubled husband. But instead she would sneak after him and follow him out of the palace and into the many small jungles that surround the Capital. And there she would watch him. He would practice, he would scream, he would cry and beg and plead that one day his father would show him love as well. If he ever found out she knew about his outburst he would never talk to her again perhaps even leave her. So she kept quiet. His flames were always much more beautiful than the wall of flames in the Throne room. Seeing him break his princely persona always filled her heart with joy, it was rare he did it around the palace. But here in the jungle in the cover of night she would hide beneath the trees and thank the moon that she could see this part of him.

He loved to train at night, something about a firebenders power being weaker he said. If he could get mastery of the night then the day wouldn’t be as hard. Tonight was a full moon. Ursa hid in her tree and watched as Ozai went through the basics, He listened to Iroh, even if he didn’t always show it.

“Firebending comes from the breath”

He would mumble. And he would begin again. Over and over he would do the basics, until he could do them in his sleep. Then he would move on to the advance stuff. Ursa would never admit that she drooled over her husband, she would never say that she loved when he would accidentally burn his shirt off, nor how his muscles shined with sweat beneath the moon light. How his voice would deepen and he’d repeat the lessons of his masters before him. She would never admit it, but seeing him firebend was her favorite thing in the world. She could never openly lust for him in front of the Royal Court. She had to be pure, pristine and perfect, but here he would go all out with his power holding nothing back, and she would ravish him with her eyes.

She never envied being a non-bender, she wasn’t upset that she didn’t have the gift of fire. She simply apprenticed everyone else who did. When they first were married Ozai would personally show her his bending moves, even if he deemed them too dangerous for her to be around. It scared her, the rare strength of a true master. As a child the only firebenders she knew of were undisciplined and their fire would spread and burn and sometimes kill and she somewhat grew afraid of large displays. But With Ozai’s help she soon learned that Fire wasn’t just destruction and pain, that it could give life and warmth. When they laid together at night, it was his warmth that she was always drawn to. He used to wow her with tiny ticks and little sparks. He told her stories of him practicing as a child, and if he was in an exceptionally good mood he would show her the ones Iroh taught him. He would tell her stories of dragons and Lion turtles. He would explain the meaning behind each firebending move and how much practice it took for him to perfect it.

He was practicing something special tonight, he wanted it perfect. It was something that even the great Dragon of the West couldn’t do. Two-handed lightning-bending. It required peace of mind, something that she knew her husband didn’t truly have, But it also required and absent of emotions, something she knew he could do. His mind was never at peace, but he practiced anyway over and over it blew up in his face. His perfect hair falling around him, he had burned himself many times over still he would get back up and try again. 

He was much different tonight, she knew he wouldn’t succeed in his training. He was still healing from his injuries, and she wished desperately that he would join her in bed and they would lie awake and talk about anything else. She wished he wouldn’t practice tonight. His wounds bled through his bandages, and she knew she would have to replace them again. Everytime he tried to bend lightning she would be sent back to that day and relive it all over again. Firelord Azulon had requested both his sons and their wives to the throne room A week or two back. Ursa couldn’t remember what it was about, but she did remember Ozai requesting and begging to be given command of an army, he wanted a chance to prove to him that he was a capable leader.

“Father, I, your humble and loyal son ask for your permission to lead a charge against the Northern Water Tribe. With My leadership we would be able to conquer and control it. Gaining a huge advantage over the Earth Kingdom. Subjecting the waterbenders and using them to serve only the Firenation and You. We could end this war, and bring the greatness of the Firenation to the rest of the world with you as their only leader.” 

She remembered Ozai’s head basically rubbing the floor with how low he bowed. It was a good plan, she had told Iroh in secret about it and he agreed that if it worked, it would tip the playing field of the war into their favor. Ozai had even surprised her by going to Iroh directly and asking for his advice. She knew he was passionate about it. Azulon However was not so keen on the idea.

“You want me to waste time with the waterbenders. Why send you when I can send your brother instead.”

She remembered Azulon’s snarl, it was like he was right in her ear as it echoed around the room.

“My lord, Prince Iroh Currently Leads the Division in the Earth Kingdom, It would not...Benefit him to be spread so thin.”

Prince Iroh, Her husband never called Iroh by his royal title unless he was desperate. His request had already taken a horrible turn.

“If it would not benefit him, then it would not benefit us. Keep such useless ideas to yourself. Why would I send you to lead anything? You of all people who failed to find the avatar!” 

Ursa had to bite her tongue, she wanted to mention that both Iroh and Azulon himself had failed to do so. A Tradition that was passed down to each Fire Nation Prince born.

“Fat—-My Lord Please forgive my incompetence, I ask you for another chance.”

The words; _A realistic one_ wasn’t said but anyone who had sense could hear the end of the sentence. Ursa glanced over at Iroh and his wife Kneeled before the Firelord as she was. The picture Perfect royal family. The only thing missing was Prince Lu-Ten who she assumed was sound asleep in his room. She had yet to tell anyone, that They too would be having a child of Their own.

“And what would you do Ozai! With the Northern Water tribe so far away? It would do no good to waste resources. Especially On a mission with no guaranteed success!”

She watched as the Wall of Fire roared higher into the air, and she resisted the Urge to close her eyes, as the heat slightly burned her skin.

“I have done the research Father, gone through scroll after scroll learning and i have reviewed my battle plans with many generals and even Iroh himse-”

“ENOUGH” Azulons screamed “I don't want to hear anymore of your foolishness! I have not trusted you with an army because you can not be trusted to do anything! I will not have you embarrassing me, your brother and the fire nation due to your lack of Skills. Leave me.”

That was the end of it….or at least it should have been. She watched as Ozai balled up his fist and raised his head off the ground, he stood and he openly begged.

“Father Please! I’m begging you, listen to me! I have gone through all the documents, and listed every possible outcome! I have studied and Practiced i am asking you, Please give me a chance to lead them! With Luck--”

“LUCK! You dare speak to me with such disrespect about luck?! You risk our nation on luck?! Our greatness on luck?! You Yourself are lucky to still be alive! You are lucky that the Fire sages asked for your life to be spared! If I had my way, I would have killed you when you took your first breath! And Illah took her last!”

Ursa had never seen Azulon firebend. He was too old to fight she thought. But as he stood up and shot a bolt of lightning right at her lover's heart she remembered that he was raised by Sozin himself.

The room was quiet as they all watched Ozai twitch and shake as the lightning coursed through his veins. His scream vibrated throughout her body and all Iroh and his wife did was watch. Faces picture perfect while Ursa had to dig her nails into her palm to stop from running to him.

Azulon shot him two more times with lightning screaming about his life being traded for Illah’s, she gasped as her husband's voice ceased and he stopped moving. She couldn’t hold it in her anymore and she ran to him. She held him in her arms praying and hoping he was somehow alive. As she struggled not to cry she heard his jagget breath and felt his frail heartbeat and held him tighter.

“You are all dismissed.” Azulons sat down on his throne and watched all of them from above.

She watched as Iroh and his wife calmly stood up and began to walk and she would have thought them unfazed with what happened if she did see how tight Iroh’s wife gripped her dress or the slight smoke that exited Iroh's nose.

She and the Servants dragged Ozai’s body from the Throne room, and as she looked up at Azulon behind the flames, she vowed that she would be the one to end his life and he would beg her for mercy and she would simply laugh in his face watching as the light in his eyes faded to nothing.


End file.
